Taking radio (literally) outside

MADRID — One might assume that broadcasting and streaming are the only outlet channels for music radio, but public service music radio exists beyond the waves and the internet. It is at the heart of radio’s most powerful outreach — supporting and hosting live music events, specifically festivals and concerts. The move is more than strategic.

Since 2019, daily radio listening among young Europeans (15–24) has dropped by 17 minutes, stabilizing at one hour and 13 minutes. Despite strong competition from private commercial broadcasters, public service media remains vital for 43% of citizens. According to the EBU, music is PSM’s primary draw, accounting for 51% of 2024 broadcasts. Music radio effectively delivers public service content across all genres, from classical to indie. Within this shifting landscape, the priority is to meet audiences where they are, and they are increasingly drawn to live events.

The popularity of music festivals and concerts

Live music is at its peak, with Europe’s music sector projected to reach €38 billion by 2030. According to the European festival association Yourope, 53% of European festivals reported improved sales in 2025. Unfortunately, skyrocketing ticket prices and private equity dominance threaten the industry. According to Live DMA, a European nongovernmental network of national and regional associations representing independent live music venues, clubs and festivals, a few giants, AEG, Live Nation, CTS Eventim and Superstruct, now control over 150 of Europe’s largest festivals. 

While major arenas face corporate consolidation, small venues remain largely independent, and EU programs like Music Moves Europe help independent projects support these venues. PSM remains essential for cultural diversity and helps steer other programs. The EBU’s Music Exchange is the world’s largest live music provider, sharing 2,700 annual concerts, and the Eurosonic Festival helps bridge the gap. Initially launched in 1986 as a one-day event to promote Dutch and Belgian bands, EBU radio stations joined the festival in 1999. In the 2026 edition, 32 public service radio stations will support 36 new, up-and-coming, and established acts, including Dua Lipa.

Why music events matter

Music events can be a way for broadcasters to connect with audiences who are not radio listeners. Within this framework, public service music radio can benefit from organizing music events for three objectives: 

• Fostering community and engagement — Public service music radio should move beyond broadcasting to build participatory communities. By combining live events with multiplatform content, it can promote “cultural citizenship,” turning passive listeners into active members of a shared identity, even among younger audiences who are not radio listeners.

• Supporting the music ecosystem — As a traditional infrastructure for music diffusion, public service music radio can embrace curatorial risks that commercial stations avoid. It serves as an essential launchpad for up-and-coming and under-the-radar musicians, while offering mainstream stars a rare space for noncommercial, artistic experimentation.

• The personal touch — Public service media is a trusted, human filter, countering algorithmic fatigue. By offering context and narrative, it acts as a “cultural validator,” granting artists a stamp of approval that resonates with festival bookers, the specialized press and the global market.

Eight good practices

With these objectives in mind, here are eight notable music festivals and concerts organized by public music radio. 

• BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Radio 2 In The Park, and Radio 6 Music Festival (BBC, United Kingdom) — Held in a different U.K. city each year, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend was once the biggest free music event in Europe; it transitioned to a paid-ticket model in 2018. This year, a ticket will cost £33. The festival includes a host of new artists and traces its lineage back to the iconic Radio 1 Roadshow, which toured the U.K. every summer from 1973 through the late 1990s. Radio 2 In The Park is a two-day adult contemporary music festival held in a different location every year, with a £63 fee. The 6 Music Festival, launched in 2014, focuses on up-and-coming and under-the-radar indie acts. 

• Tiny Desk (NPR Music, NPR, USA) — Tiny Desk Concerts are an iconic series of intimate, unplugged live performances filmed right at the desk of host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C. The series is renowned for its “stripped-back” aesthetic, forcing global superstars and emerging artists alike to ditch their stadium setups and autotune in favor of raw, acoustic arrangements. The initiative has extended to other activities, such as the Tiny Desk Contest for new talent, and to teaming up with other festivals’ initiatives called Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts. 

• La radio encendida (Radio 3, RTVE, Spain) — Described as a “music marathon,” La radio encendida is a one-day concert hosted by La Casa Encendida, a cultural hub in Madrid. In the 2025 edition, there were 11 hours of nonstop music and 20 Spanish bands.

• El Desconcert (iCat, CCMA, Spain) — El Desconcert presents a concert tour dedicated to boosting the visibility of the Catalan music scene. It usually tours several locations across Catalonia with independent local artists. The event culminates with a free ticket concert at the iconic Sala Apolo in Barcelona. 

• Zeidfest and Gaztea Sariak (Gaztea, EITB, Spain) — Basque commercial music radio station Gaztea organizes two significant music events. Zeidfest, a one-day festival featuring a mix of international and local musicians, priced at €34.50. The other, Gaztea Sariak, is an awards ceremony for Basque musicians, featuring intimate performances conducive to social media sharing, making a strong case study of public value and media consumption. 

This is the first of a two-part series on live music events organized by public radio broadcasters. Part two will focus on venues, concert halls and music talent competitions. 

The author is a lecturer and researcher in Communication Studies at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).

This story originally appeared in the March/April 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download it for free here.

You can access all past RedTech publications, for free, here.

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